Rain on my Parade
by irmalin
Summary: A few years after the defeat of Trigon, the titans begin to branch out. What happens when Raven encounters a certain pink-eyed enchantress in a local bar? Please read and review, only M just in casea
1. Chapter 1

"One more dance? Pleeeeease?" Raven rolled her eyes and gave the blonde a sad smile. "I'm actually pretty tired. Plus, that goth from before looks keen to go again"

Pandemonium. Not only was it the name of the bar Raven currently occupied, but it was also a brief summary of the majority of her night. Since the Titans ditched the "Teen", Raven had been inducted into a small, tight-knit group of students; all decidedly alternative in their personalities and styles. Despite the initial tension caused by her association with a group of citizens, eventually the other Titans simmered down and grew to like her new friends: none more than Cyborg who was an almost-groupie himself- despite skipping the gay clubbing side of things.

Which was not only tiring for the twenty-something half-breed, but mind boggling as to why she let Kyle drag her along on these trips.

Kyle - given name Kylie - was the one who started Raven's transition to a more 'normal' life. A trip-crash between the girls at the library had set off a weekly tea-house routine, which had most recently ended with a party and Raven's introduction to the rest of her new friends. Kylie was short and feisty, with plenty of piercings and an appetite for paperbacks only equaled by her absolute chocolate addiction. They were polar opposites in many ways, but best friends under all accounts; probably, Raven reasoned, why she let Kyle (who was also very gay) drag her around on these Friday night shenanigans.

The blonde cocked her head to one side, a drunken ripple of concern crossing her face as she perched beside the dark titan. "Hey, are you okay? We can head in early if you don't want to be here." Raven bit her lip as she thought this through, before elbowing her friend towards the dance-floor. "I'm just tired, but I am… I will be fine. Don't let this spoil your evening." Kyle raised an eyebrow, disbelieving. "If you say so. But you don't need to be so damn stoic all the time. If something's bugging, hit me up, or…" She suddenly grinned. "...you could find a raunchy beauty in here, somewhere." Raven snorted into her tea, flipping the girl off as she assured her she'd keep it in mind. "Scram. That girl won't wait forever"

Grinning, her friend melted into the crowd, and Raven sighed; dropping her head onto her arms as she leaned dejectedly against the counter. It wasn't just the late night exhaustion getting to her: the whole 'normal' thing was just too confusing. Since her defeat of Trigon as a young teen she'd been more in touch with her emotions, which meant she'd suddenly been faced with problems she's never even noticed, before; her dreams or sense of self… or sexuality. Known for being stoic she found herself drifting away from the other titans for a time, unsure what to do with her newfound "_freedom". _Somewhat bitterly, she chuckled in a wry grin, remembering that "freedom is the worst kind of cage".

And now, she was here. Dressed in dark jeans and misery, scuffed docs leaning edgily against the bar. She snorted, suddenly disgusted by her self-righteous whinging. "Self pity is for suckers" she muttered angrily, looking for the barman so as to order another drink. If she was here she may as well enjoy it, even if it wasn't her usual cup of tea.

The stool beside her creaked as someone swung around beside her, raising a pale arm to flag down the barman with a winning smile. "I'll have a walking fish with sweeteners" the mystery woman (_girl?)_ drawled, before turning to the Raven and grinning. "...And a refill for whatever this one wants. It's a crime to be sitting along when you're _that_ gorgeous." This was too weird. Blushing furiously, Raven looked slightly to the right to catch a glimpse of the slender girl beside her; perched elegantly on her chair as she leaned over the bar with one pale hand laced through her bubble-gum pink hair, and the other drumming an obsidian ring in a racy but recognizable tune - at least to Raven's ears.

"A children's Crusade on Acid? Wouldn't have taken you for a _Margot_ fan." The girl spun around to face her, as she elfishly winked and exclaimed. "So, she's super cute _and_ has great taste. Do you have a name, miss…" She trailed off, and both girls gasped as pink cat eyes met void purple. _"Raven?" _"Jinx…" Despite the pounding music and piercing strobes, the space between them was suddenly thickened with a tense silence. Until, Jinx threw a hand melodramatically in the air, before knocking her head on the bar in frustration. "What the _hell_ is this? Why you? And…" She trailed off, muttering something unintelligibly distraught. Raven was torn. True, she hadn't seen the villainess in _years_, but they were enemies and… and the waves of distress emanating from Jinx's hunched form were making her incredibly uneasy. Concerned, almost.

Steeling herself with a deep breath, she rested a hand on the girl's bare shoulder; closing the space between them as she muttered soft apologies. For what she didn't know. But it seemed to be working, as Jinx's breathing steadied and she raised bleary eyes to once more meet Raven's own violet orbs. If the demoness didn't know better, she'd think Jinx was feeling… depressed? Bitter? By why now? And why did she sense that these feelings were Raven's fault?

The barman returned with Jinx's drink, raising an eyebrow at Raven. Jinx leaned into her shoulder, both girls stiffening slightly at the second touch. "You didn't order" she mumbled quietly, bringing a blush to Raven's cheeks as she quickly asked for a chai tea - maybe that would soothe her nerves. Jinx's cocktail remained untouched, as they sat there with an unexplained sadness bridging the void between them.

When it arrived, Raven's tea was also left alone, both girls quietly watching the ebb and flow of patrons all around. Was it the embrace they were so reluctant to break? Or was it something more… But as moments are, this one was broken by the vibration of an incoming text, from Kyle. The girls sprang apart and raven dug around in her pocket, blushing as she snorted with indignation at the flickering screen.

_LOOKS LYK U AND UR EX NEED 2 SORT SOME THINGS OUT, I'LL LEAVE U 2 IT BUT TXT IF YOU WANT A HAND _

Jinx giggled as she read the text over Raven's shoulder, the tension slightly easing as both girls broke into hysterical grins. "Your ex? What kind of sick joke is _that?"_ Raven suddenly sniggered, elbowing Jinx jovially as the enchantress's mouth dropped open in a surprised O. "Cat got your tongue?" She grinned, glad to be rid of the silence. _"Although." S_he internally chastised herself. _"It's probably just sleep deprivation making me crazy." _Jinx returned a softer smile, lacing her fingers through the demon's hand. "It's lovely when you laugh, you should do it more often." Breaking the grip on her hand, Raven turned slightly in a pink flush, when Jinx also whispered "It's cute when you blush, too. Probably turns girls _right_ on…" ...Before bubbling with laughter at Raven's heightened embarrassment. When Jinx stopped laughing, they shared an uneasy grin, before Raven cursed and began to stare at her feet. This was her. _Raven. A Titan. With Jinx. _The gravity of the situation was overwhelming. And not without consequences.

Guttingly, she began to speak. "Jinx… I'm having a better time, but I don't even know you. And with everything that happened before, this just doesn't feel rig...umph" Jinx closed the gap by placing her hand over Raven's mouth, looking seriously at the demoness as the Hex Master stole her turn. "Raven. I know that we aren't the best of friends… well, hell, we were enemies. And we're on different sides of the law and _yes_ I don't even know you but this feels good and I want to see how it plays out." The last few words tumbled out in a nervous blur, but they hit Raven right where it hurts. Right in the solar plexus of her heart. The neon lights flashed obnoxiously, but it was like the world of noise had ground to a halt. That outside there was nothing but the two of them… "Nothing but the two of us" Raven whispered. "What" Jinx demanded, looking confused. Blushing furiously, Raven offered a small smile. "Nothing that matters, now."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Jinx ran a finger through her hair. "Good. Well, not to break the moment…" She grimaced, gesturing to the increasingly drunken crowd. "... But would you like to finish this at mine? I won't try anything, I swear." With a start, Raven noticed how the girl's hair was wound around her shoulders, framing her face instead of in it's usual freaky horns. In fact, this was nothing like the Jinx _she_ remembered at all. Could it really do such harm? Except for…_ "Robin"_

"okay… what? Rae, I expected you to say many things, but bird brain was not one of them"

Offering Jinx a wry, bitter grin, Raven began to explain. "Back when we first joined the teen titans we signed a contract… of rules, almost. And one of the most important things was no fraternizing with criminals. Especially…" She gestured between them. "...Not romantically."

Jinx looked unimpressed. "So what? I mean he doesn't have to find out, and besides, the worst that he could do is…" _"Jinx." _The dark titan steeled her emotions as the enchantress nervously met her gaze . "... I could be kicked out of the titans.

_AUTHOR'S NOTE:_

_yes, it's short and yes I am so sorry for lack of edits but HEY if you want this continued then review asap before I get bored of this pair. I'm still only halfway through chapter four of the other fic, but I'll get there!_


	2. Chapter 2

Jinx's eyes widened in shock. "...okay, WHAT? I understand that birdbrain has some control issues, but that's insane! The Titans are your family, the tower is your home! How could he just… he just…" The thief was practically sparking hexes in her sudden rage; Raven looked away and shrugged. "Yeah, but it's just how it is. Ever since... Red X, Robin's wished that the world was more black and white. But it's not. And he believes that "treacherous" actions should have equally severe consequences." A cold feeling was beginning to settle in her gut, the slow wind-down of disappointment, coated in dread of her next words. Jinx attempted to speak, but was silenced by a wave of Raven's hand as she pushed back her chair. "I… I'm sorry Jinx. It's over." She gave a sad smile as she backed away. "Even though it never really began."

Before she was swallowed by the crowd, Raven looked up once more to meet Jinx's eyes. She looked like she'd been slapped, like tears could fall at any seconds from those pink-kitty-cat eyes. Frozen at the bar, almost not taking in what had been said. But her clenched fist confirmed that she had, white knuckles grasping her glass so hard it would surely break. _Like you broke her heart._

And then Raven was pushing away, internally gasping as she fought through the crowd for the door. Rebuilding her stoic mask, she donned her hood as she gave the bouncer a swift nod and slipped through the back door. On the street she shivered, and it had nothing to do with the sudden, biting cold. Too distracted to fly, she quietly muttered her mantra as she headed for the nearest taxi stand at a brisk pace, quietly sending mental apologies to Kyle. Maybe she'd text when she was back in her room. Maybe she could talk, when she was somewhere safe.

Without warning, a pink blur threw Raven against the tarmac, and she tussled with her attacker down the stairs of a winding, brick-walled side street. Raven attempted to throw her attacker with her feet, but she was caught, and they crashed on the cobblestones at the bottom with a yelp of pain. The world spun, and Raven slowly dragged the rooftops and stars back into orientation as she regained her bearings. And looked up into her opponent's face.

_It was her_. "You again!" She snarled in frustration. "Why can't you just leave me ALONE?!" Brick cracked beneath the force of that last word, her soul self exploding outwards to crush Jinx against the nearest wall. She hit the ground gasping, as Raven loomed above, furiously. Angry at herself for wanting what she couldn't have, Robin for his stupid rules, and Jinx for bringing this whole damn catastrophe up in the first place. But she was also… sad. This wasn't the girl who she'd fought in the streets all those years ago. Remembering her eyes from before, this Jinx seemed… haunted. Broken.

Coughing, Jinx used the brickwork to stand, and slowly she hobbled into a defiant stance; evenly meeting the dark Titan's gaze. "Raven… this isn't… this isn't how I planned things to go." There was a pause, wind whistling through the guttering above.

Briefly, a smile flickered across her pale face. "I didn't mean for any of it. Especially…" Jinx gave a hollow laugh. "It was a _huge_ mistake to push you down a slight of stairs." A tear hit the ground. And another. Still caught at an impasse, Raven was torn. Unnerved.

Pushing down her hood, she sighed, apprehensively stepping closer to the villaness. "I didn't mean to upset you." Pink eyes widened. "I wish things could be different, but…" Raven shrugged, looking away. "You just have to realise that they can't." The empath didn't need to look at Jinx to feel the betrayal radiating from her; the disappointment and fatigue that came with her rejection. "I'm going now. Please…" She sighed. "Don't follow me."

She'd reached the foot of the stairs when she was tackled for a second time; this time crashing into a pair of lips and arms that held her fast in a passionate embrace. Her brain struggling to process the events unfolding before her; at first she didn't respond, but when the villaness began to draw back she turned their positions to hold Jinx against the wall, their tongues battling for dominance in this bitter, back-alley twirl.

After several intense moments they broke apart, gasping, wide eyed and shaking. The demi-demon was almost in a sense of shock, unable to push the thief away, yet unable to accept this was not wrong. If Jinx shared these concerns, she kept it well hidden; suddenly flashing her signature cheshire grin as she wrapped her arms around the empath's neck and drew her closer. "Not interested, huh…?" She whispered seductively, trailing her teeth along Raven's collarbone in a way that made the empath tremble with anticipation as she suppressed a moan. Running her hands down Raven's sides, Jinx slowly brought their faces together, looking for the right moment to… "STOP!"

Breaking free, Raven forced their embrace apart and darted forward, tripping and sprawling on the ground. Jinx rushed forward, concern replacing the predatory grin she'd worn mere moments ago. "Raven! Are you okay?" Scrambling backwards, Raven hit the wall and raised a hand in a pitiful defense. "Weren't you listening? We can't do this! I can't do this!" She let out a sob. "I just… can't."

"Raven. Look at me." Jinx knelt by her side, her tone firm. Raven raised her eyes, and once more time in the outside world froze. "I know you're scared. But… doesn't part of you want this?" She looked uncertainly at the empath, cocking her head to one side. "Didn't you… don't you _feel_ anything?"

"_But that's just the problem_!" Raven wanted to yell. "_You make me feel and it's bad enough that you're female, you're a criminal! But I can't stop this, same as I couldn't stop trigon and save Terra and save…" _She was drawn back to the real-world when a hand softly cupped her face, drawing her eyes back to meet Jinx's gaze.

"It's just…" Raven began to speak, her voice barely lower than a whisper. "...It's not meant… It's not meant to be you."

Jinx sighed, and moved to sit beside Raven, leaning against the grimy wall. "I see." She rested her head on Raven's shoulder, oblivious to the blush the empath desperately tried to suppress as the thief looked into the moonlight. "But that's always the way, isn't it?"

"We screw up. We're human. We fall for people we're not supposed to. And…" she looked back into Raven's eyes. "We fight to save a forsaken planet." The bitter words rang true, and for a time they were silent. Heart thudding, Raven thought over the thief's… offer.

It's true she didn't believe in love at first sight. But this wasn't marriage. And Robin _was_ a busy guy, surely he wouldn't… maybe…

"Scared?" Jinx asked. Raven poked her tongue out, bitterly amused. "_I don't __**do**__scared." _Jinx huddled closer into the Empath's hoodie, "well, I am." She muttered. It made up Raven's mind.

"You said we could finish at your place?" She mumbled, half-heartedly wondering if the villaness wouldn't hear. But Jinx suddenly sprang to her feet, jubilant as she extended a pale hand. "Well!? What are we waiting for?" Both girls blushed as Raven fell slightly against Jinx as she was pulled up, before the empath laced her fingers with those of a very surprised Jinx.

Who then dismissed the unusual forwardness with a flick of her head, as the two girls wandered back out into the moonlit streets of Jump. Clouds were rolling in from the distance.

It looked like rain.

_Author's note: umph, it took a while to get started, but I think I know where this is going now? I hope I didn't make Raven too mopey for ya': I was just thinking back to episodes like "Fear Itself" where suppressing her emotions is a no-go and she's actually scared as all hell. As for wee Jinxie, let's just call that little birdie "the aftermath of unrequited love." But that's all. FOr now XD_


End file.
